License, Registration, Cell Phone: Michigan police are using the CelleBrite UFED, a device that can grab all of the photos and videos along with call history, texts, address book and geolocation from a driver's cell phone in less than 2 minutes. Without being physically attached to it. Search warrant? We don't need no stinking search warrant...

Poorcast: Saudi Arabia, without mentioning its famed 12 mbd 'capacity', now claims its production “will not rise” during the next five years, but that it can lift its output to 10.8 mbd by 2030. This is going to sorely chafe the IEA which is depending on Saudi Arabia being “able to increase oil production by 75% (to 15 mbd) through 2030.”

Strategy:When the Republican plan to substitute vouchers for traditional Medicare is explained clearly, more than 80% of Americans oppose the idea. The Republicans will come up with a misleading name and a dishonest story and try to cram it down our throats so the insurance companies can reap the rewards. Business as usual.

Non-sequitur:Yes, of course Homeland Security is out of control. Why do you ask?

Rusts Belt: Aggressive new strains of wheat rust diseases have ruined up to 40% of wheat fields in North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucuses. In these areas, wheat provides 40% of the calories and 20% of the protein in a typical diet. Researchers claim rising temperatures and the increasing variability of rainfall contributes to the spread and severity of rust diseases.

Up to No Good: NYU's Courant Institute is developing a bird-sized, self-flying plane that can navigate through both the urban environment and in forests.

Because We're Bigger Than You Bradley Manning: The Pentagon has moved PFC Manning into Limbo, a new holding facility in Kansas. After holding him for 11 months, they've decided to simply keep him “in pre-trial confinement” indefinitely. The Pentagon has made it clear this could happen to you.

Why? Apple iPhones keep track of where you go (via GPS) and stores about a year of the data in a secret file on the phone, ready for the DA to download. It's a feature.

Bad Idea:Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam announced a joint decision on the future of the proposed Xayaburi dam on the Mekong in Northern Laos. In that preliminary work on the dam is well underway, the decision is rather anticlimactic, But what could go wrong with damming such an important river?

Resolved:The euro-world continues to waste away. The yield on Greek 2-year bonds is now over 22% and the 10-year can be had for 40% off. Also, there's a rumor of Greek defaultas early as this weekend.

9 Month Plan:Russia is spending $53 billion to increase the birth rate and lengthen life expectancy in order to reverse Russia's declining population. They don't call it Mother Russia for nothing.

Birther of A Nation: Donald Trump is a proud birther, which means he thinks that 50 years ago a massive conspiracy began that included state officials, doctors, Honolulu newspapers and various civil servants and resulted in a Kenyan Socialist from Chicago... etc. Okay, that's hard to imagine. So is Trump as president.

My WAG is that is the peak oil story of the decade - and I've read a lot of peak oil stories.

Once it becomes clear to the capitalist class that energy is not going to miraculously drop back to '80s levels when KSA decides to open the taps, the entrenchment will begin, a la FEASTA's Tipping Points Paper (feasta.org)

Our Motto

Keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.